Sierra
“Holy shit!” I yelled as I rolled over and curled up into a ball. Cramps. Fucking holy hell of all cramps. I picked up my phone from the nightstand and called Rosa. She should be here by now. She was always here at six a.m.
“Why are you calling me from your phone, senorita?”
“Pills, Rosa. I need cramp pills. I can’t move.”
“I’ll be right up.”
These damn cramps had been getting worse by the month. Every time Kirsty made me a doctor’s appointment, I canceled. Why? Because they started to feel better and then I was over it. But today; today was the worst yet. I sent Kirsty a text message.
“Call Dr. Hollis and get me in today. I’m dying.”
“You’re not dying and if you would have kept your previous doctor appointments, you wouldn’t be in so much pain.”
“I swear I’m firing you.”
“See you soon,” she replied.
Rosa walked in the room and handed me two ibuprofen pills and a glass of water. I smelled it first just to make sure she wasn’t trying to be funny. I popped the pills in my mouth, washed them down with water, and then curled back up in a ball.
“Thanks, Rosa,” I said as I put the pillow over my head.
“You get up now and get ready for work. I’ll make you a bagel.”
I pulled my hand out from under the covers and motioned at her to go away. She didn’t shut the door and, a few moments later, I heard footsteps in the room.
“Rosa, I told you to go away.”
“Umm. Good morning,” Cameron said.
Shit.
“Are you not going in to work again?” he asked.
“I’m going.”
“Are you okay?”
“No, I’m not okay. What’s with the thousand questions?” I snapped as I threw the pillow across the room and looked at him in my morning mess. “I have cramps. Really bad cramps. Cramps so debilitating that I can’t move.”
“Oh. Sorry about that. Do you have any chamomile tea?”
I looked at him in irritation. “I don’t think so. Who the hell drinks chamomile tea?”
“My sisters used to get horrible cramps and they would drink a cup of tea and they said it really helped.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, really.” he smiled.
I picked up my phone and dialed Kirsty.
“I’m almost there,” she answered.
“I need you to stop and get me chamomile tea.”
“For what?”
“Don’t question. Just pick some up, please, and hurry!”
“Okay. Okay. I’ll be there soon.” Click.
I pulled the covers over my head. “Okay, you can go now. I don’t need you seeing me like this.”
Next thing I knew, he pulled the covers down and, when I looked at him, he had a wide smile across his face.
“I don’t mind seeing you like this. I think you’re kind of cute.” He winked and then got up from the bed.
I watched him walk out of the room and I lay there as my panties became moist. Shit. The ibuprofen started to take the edge off the pain, so I crawled out of bed. I walked down the hall to my bedroom. I stepped inside my closet and screamed when I saw Cameron standing there.
“Jesus Christ, you scared me,” I squawked.
“You knew I was finishing your closet today.”
“I didn’t expect you to be creeping out in here.”
“Creeping out? What the hell does that mean?”
“Listen, I have to get my clothes. Can you please leave until I shower and get dressed?”
“Yes, boss,” he said with an attitude as he walked away.
I rolled my eyes and stepped into the shower. As the hot water streamed down my body, I thought about Cameron and how sweet he was when he was telling me about the tea. But then his attitude when he scared the shit out of me. Like it was my fault. Fuck him. I was in no mood. I got out of the shower and got dressed. I threw some mousse in my hair and let it air dry into waves while I applied my makeup. After putting on my Chanel suit and jewelry, I walked downstairs, only to find James, Cameron, and Kirsty sitting at the table, eating breakfast.
“I made your tea,” Rosa said as she handed me the cup.
“Good morning, Sierra,” James said.
“Morning.”
I took my cup and sat down at the table next to James. Kirsty pulled out her iPad and began to rattle off the events of the day.
“You have back-to-back meetings all day. How the hell am I going to squeeze in a doctor’s appointment?” she said as she looked up from her iPad.
“I don’t know. Just do it.”
“Are you feeling better?” James asked.
“Yeah, I am. Thanks to Cameron for suggesting this tea.”
He glanced up from his plate and gave me a small smile. He finished the last of his eggs, took his plate to the sink, and walked upstairs without saying a word.
“What did you do to him?” Kirsty said through gritted teeth.
“I didn’t do anything to him!”
“The senorita yelled at him,” Rosa said.
“I did not.”
“You did. I heard you. I was coming up the stairs and I heard you yell at him.”
James looked at me and grabbed my hand. “Go apologize, Sierra.”
I sighed and left the kitchen. I went to my room and pushed the door open. “Hey, Cameron.”
“Yeah,” he said without even turning around.
I walked over to where he was standing by the wall. “I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to give you an attitude. I’m on edge, you know, with the cramps and hormones out of whack. I’m a terrible PMS’er.”
“Don’t worry about it. I get it.”
I turned around, and as I started to walk out of the room, I heard him say, “Have a good day, Sierra.”
“You too,” I replied.
****
“How long have you been having cramps like that?” Dr. Hollis asked as I lay on the table against the scratchy paper wrap with my feet in the stirrups.
“For a couple of years, but they seem to be getting worse.”
“Have you ever been on the pill?” he asked as his face stared up my vagina.
“No.”
“What do you use for contraception?”
“The sponge and condoms.”
He pulled the speculum out of me and I let out a deep breath. I was all for having something up there, but not that thing. This was one doctor’s appointment I always tried to avoid. He removed his rubber gloves and washed his hands.
“I’m going to write you a prescription for birth control pills. They’ll help the cramps. But if you continue to have them this bad while on the pill, you are to make another appointment. There could be something else going on.”
“Like what?”
“You could have some endometriosis, ovarian cysts. The list could go on and on. But, let’s try this first. I know how busy you are and you’re not exactly good about coming in for regular visits.” He smiled as he handed me the script.
“Thank you, Dr. Hollis. I’ll give these a try and if things don’t get better, I’ll come back.”
“Sounds good. Take care, Sierra.”
He left the room and I got dressed. James was waiting for me out in the waiting room. Yeah, I made my driver come into the office with me.
“Well, what did he say?” James asked as we walked out of the office.
“He put me on the pill. He said it should help. Now, how fast can you get me to the office? Kirsty has been blowing up my phone. I have a meeting in fifteen minutes.”
“I’ll do my best, but traffic sucks this time of the day,” he said.
****
Cameron
Paolo and I stood back and looked at the wall. We had just put the last coat of paint on it and I was getting hungry.
“As soon as it dries, I’ll put up the shelves.”
“Do you need me to help you?” Paolo asked.
“Nah. I need you to get to the Ross job and help Malcolm put down the tile on her bathroom floor. I can put up the shelves myself. But first, let’s go grab some lunch. I’m starving.”
We walked downstairs and Rosa was in the kitchen.
“Where are you two going?” she asked.
“We’ll be back. We’re going to grab some lunch.”
“Oh no,” she said. “I’ll make you lunch right now.”
“No, Rosa. I don’t want you to go to any trouble.”
She stood there with her hand on her hip. “Are you refusing my food again?”
“No. I know you’re busy.” I smiled.
“The two of you sit down right now,” she said as she pushed us over to the table. “I’ll make you some sandwiches. It’ll only take a few minutes.”
Paolo looked at me and smiled. “Shit, man. I could get so used to this,” he whispered.
After we ate the nice lunch Rosa made, Paolo left and I went to clean up Sierra’s bedroom. I picked up the picture she had sitting on her nightstand of her and who I assumed was her father. As I looked closer, I noticed it was taken right outside the café that was in the painting she just bought. She looked beautiful. There was a happiness about her in that picture that I had yet to see.
I was going over a few things in the guest house when I heard a knock on the door. I opened it and Rosa stood there with a dish in her hand.
“Here’s dinner for you. I’m leaving to go home now.”
“Rosa, you’re too kind. You really are.” I smiled.
“It’s no trouble. You’re a part of this household now and I’m here to make sure you’re taken care of, just like Sierra. So, eat up and enjoy. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“She’s not home yet from the office?” I asked.
“No, not yet. Have a good night, Cameron.” She smiled.
“Thank you for dinner, Rosa.”
She put up her hand and waved at me as she walked back into the house. I set the dish on the table and took off the foil that was covering the top. It looked delicious and I couldn’t wait to dig in.
After I ate, I put on my pajama bottoms and sat down on the couch to relax and watch some TV before going to bed. I had put up the shelves in Sierra’s closet and, now that one project was done, tomorrow I would start on one of the bathrooms. I saw the light go on in the backyard, so I got up and walked over to the window. I looked at my watch. It was midnight. What the hell was Sierra doing? I watched her as she took off the little sundress she was wearing. I gasped when she stood there, naked, and jumped into the pool. Instantly, I became hard. I sometimes pictured what she would look like completely naked and now I saw. She was even more perfect than I had imagined. Her curves were amazing, as were her perfectly round, large breasts. I felt like a fucking stalker for staring at her in the pool. But I couldn’t help it. As hard as I tried not to think about her, I couldn’t stop. Sierra Adams was way out of my league, but maybe, just maybe, I could show her that there was more to life than money and Los Angeles. After she swam for a while and I stood there and watched her, I noticed her looking around.
“Shit,” I heard her say.
I didn’t see her bring out a towel, so I decided to yell from the window.
“Do you need a towel?” I smiled.
She jumped and ducked down so the water came up to her neck.
“Cameron, what the hell!” she yelled.
“Do you need a towel?” I asked again.
“YES!”
I laughed as I grabbed a beach towel from the closet and walked over to the pool.
“This is not funny!” she exclaimed.
“Do you always go skinny dipping at midnight?”
“TURN AROUND!” she said as she grabbed the towel from my hand.
I smiled at her and turned around so she could get out of the pool and cover herself up. “Well? Answer the question.”
“Sometimes I do. I thought you were asleep. I didn’t see any lights on.”
“I was watching TV and I saw the light go on out here, so I peeked out my window and saw you in the pool.”
“Did you see anything?” she asked.
“No,” I lied.
I didn’t want to embarrass her. I could tell she was embarrassed enough.
“Are you sure?” she asked with narrow eyes.
“I swear, Sierra. I saw nothing. I just saw you in the pool and noticed you didn’t have a towel. Did you just get home from the office?”
“Yeah. I had a lot of work to do and a lot of problems to deal with. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to bed.”
“Me too.” I smiled with the thought of her naked body in my head. “Night, Sierra.”
“Night, Cameron. Thank you for the towel.”